Vehicle signal switch



Feb. 16, 1932. G. A. HANNA VEHICLE SIGNAL SWITCH Filed May 12, 1927 INVENTOR. 65o, f7, Hin/W7 BW@ W ATTRNEY Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES GEORGE A. HANNA., OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA VEHICLE SIGNAL SWITCH Application filed May 12, 1927. Serial' No. 190,721.

My invention relates to a control switch for electrically operated traiiic signals carried by vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the character described which is of particularly simple structure and the operation of which involves a minimum relative movement of its arts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having the operative parts thereof located entirely without the vehicle operators compartment. y y

A further object of the invention is to provide a means of the character described which isarranged for operative installation as an attachment on steering mechanisms of different types.

, The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part ofthe specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations` in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

c Referring to said drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of the steering mechanism of a vehicle, showing the device of my invention operatively mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a view of the device taken on the line 2-2 in Figure 1 and including a diagrammatic showing of the electrical connections of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in Figure `2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side view showing the device operatively disposed on a steering mechanism of diiferent type than that shown in Figure 1. f Briefly, the mechanism of my invention comprises right and left hand signal circuits, a switch for said circuits arranged to be manually set whereby one or the other of the circuits lmay be rendered operative, and a switch means automatically operable by the steering apparatus of the vehicle for rendering the appropriate signal circuit operative during the turning of the vehicle and at the same time tripping the first switch if the same has been previously set. Heretofore,

however, signal control means of the sort to which my invention particularly relates has been mounted directly on the steering post adjacent the steering wheel of vehicles whereby such steering post has been encumbered and the driver has been deprived of a certain amount of knee room. In accordance with my invention, however, the control means is arranged to be disposed entirely out of the drivers compartment except for the necessary means for elfecting the setting of the manually controlled switch, which latter means is conveniently mounted on the instrument board of the vehicle. Both of the aforesaid switches, it will be noted, are incorporr ated in a novel unitary and particularly simple control device.

As herewith particularly disclosed, the switch mechanism of my invention comprises a base member 6 formed of an insulating material and having mounted over a face 7 thereof a pair of relatively thin contact plates 8. Mounted on the base 6 in spaced overlying relation to both of the plates 8 is a conductor plate member 9, such member having its inner surface ll disposed in parallel relation to the opposed surfaces of the plates 8. As here shown, the plates 8 and 9 are arranged to be held in liXed position on the base 6 by means of spacer members 12 formed of insulating material and interposed between the ends of plate 9 and the different plates 8, and bolts 13 operatively disposed through the plates 8 and 9, spacers 12 and base 6, whereby the various members may be clamped together. Preferably, and as here shown, the perforations for bolts 13 provided in plate 9 are of just sufficient size to receive the bolts, while the widths of the perforations in plates 8 are of somewhat greater diameter than that of the bolts 13 and such perforations are elongated to permit relative adjustment of the plates 8 with respect to each other when the bolts 13 are loosened and at the same time space the plates 8 from the bolts whereby they will be electrically insulated from the plate 9. The iXed positioning of plate 9, it will now be clear, is effected by but a single pair of the bolts 13, which bolts may also be used as binding posts for effecting an electrical connection to plate 9. To assist in holding the plates 8 inadjusted positionon the base 6 and at the same Vtime provide binding posts Y for effecting electrical connections therefor,

bolts 14 are here shown utilized, such boltsV being disposed through slots 16. formed in the plates whereby adjustment of the plates 8 is permitted.

It will now be noted that the plate 9 is arranged to be connected in an electrical circuit including a battery 17 and branch circuits 13and 19, the latter respectively including illuminatable signals 21 and 22 and different'plates 8. The signals 2l and 22 are preferably disposed atopposite sides of the vehicle forwardly of the drivers compartment, whereby the driver may be advised of the operation thereof. Vlt will now be clear that the plate 9 be electrically connected to one of the plates 3, the circuit including the latter'would be closed and the appropriate signal thereupon operated, and means are accordingly provided for eifecting such connection. freferabldiderent means are .provided for electrically connecting plate 9 to the appropriate one of the plates 3, one of j such means being arranged for the manual setting thereof by the driver in advance of `making acontemplated turn, while the other is arranged to be operated automatically during an appreciable turning movement of the vehicle. v Y

Pivoted to the base 6 in odset relation from the plates 8 and 9 and for rotation about an axis perpendicular to such plates is a member 23, such member being arranged to be normally disposed in generally parallel ielation to the adjacent plate edges and to be vided 'for retaining the member 23 in its intermediate and entreme positions, and as here shown, such means comprises a detent spring 28 fixed on an extension 29 of the member and arranged to'register in appropriately disposed sockets 31 provided in the base 6. rllhe ends 32 of the arms 24, it will be noted, are preferably arranged to engage the spacer members or posts 12 whereby a positive stop is provided at each extreme posii" tion of the member 23.` lt'will now be noted that the member 23 is arranged to be manu'- ally set in its diderent positions by the driver of the vehicle, diderent means for eecting such setting being provided in accordance with the conditions to be met in the'installation of the device, two of such means being shown in the drawings and hereinafter described.

A member 33 is provi'dedfor automatically effecting the electrical connection of the plate 9 with thek appropriate plate 8. As here shown the member 33 is provided at opposite sides thereof with connected spring contacts 34 and is arranged for movement in a fixed path between the plate 9 and the n base in such manner that when the member 33 is in its normalmid-position, one contact 34 thereof will'engage the base 6, while when it is suiiiciently displaced from such position, the same contact will engage aplate 8. The other contact 34 is arranged to maintain its engagement with plate 9,it thus being clear 'that displacement of the member from its normal position will close a. signal Vcircuit in the same manner 'as does a displacement of the member 23. Movement of the member 33 in its path,-it will be noted, is varranged Vto Vbe effected by and from the steering mechanism of the vehicle in an appropriate manner, two forms of operative connection thereto being here shown and hereinafter discussed. Y It will now be clear that'two independently operable means have been provided for effecting an electrical connection between plate 9 and a plate 3`one arranged for manual 'operation and the otherffor automatic operation'. Generally, it is-'desirable or required Vthat-a turning signal be given some time before the Vconteinplatedturn is made, and the driver would therefore effect a setting of the member 23 in advance of making the turn. Themwhen the turn has been made, it is desirable that the signal be rendered inoperative, and means are kaccordingly provided for automatically restoring the member 23 toits normal position by reason of the turning of the vehicle. Accordingly, and as here shown, forward projections 36 are'provided'k on the arms 24 of member 23, such projections being arranged to be so engaged by the member 33 as it is moved to circuit closing position that member 23 will be restored to its normaly inoperative position. In this manner, an'

inadvertent leaving on of a` signalis prevented and the signal remains set until the turn is actually completed, since during the turn, the member 33 maintains` theA closure of Ythe signal circuit,

It will now be noted thatra comparatively small movement of the member 33 is provided for, and the device is accordingly arranged for operative association with a part of the steering mechanism of the vehicle having a relatively small displacement. In certain` makes of motor vehicles, the angular movement of the steering wheel is reduced by gearing disposed adjacent such wheel, whereby the angular displacement of the vehicle steering rod itself is less than 180 degrees, while in other makes of motor vehicles, reduction of the steering wheel rotation is effected by means of gearing at the end of the steering rod remote from the wheel. Accordingly, the installation of the device in operative association with both types of steering mechanism has been disclosed in each of Figures 1 and 4.

As particularly disclosed in Figures 1 to 2, the device is operatively associated with a steering rod 37 disposed through a vehicle dash-board 38 and carried on a bracket 39 mounted on the dash board. The rod 37, it will be noted, is arranged to be turned less than 90 degrees in either direction from its straight ahead position. The previously described switch device is mounted on the dashboard 38 forwardly thereof on a suitable bracket 41 and is positioned adjacent the rod 37 and with its base 6 disposed in perpendicular relation to the rod axis. The member 33, is will be noted, is clamped directly to the rod 37 and is thereby arranged to be oscillated in a fixed curved path lying between plate 9 and the base 6 whereby the signal circuits may be closed upon the rotative displacement thereof in the manner previously indicated. The member 23, it will now be noted, is fixedly mounted on a rotatable rod 42 extending through the base 6 in generally parallel relation to the steering rod 27 and extending through the dash-board 38 and the instrument board 43. A lever 44 is here shown fixed to the rod 42 at its point of egress from the instrument board, whereby the rod may be appropriately displaced from an intermediate position. In this manner, setting of the member 23 may be effected from the drivers compartment, and restoration of the lever to its intermediate or no signal position will automatically be effected when the member 23 is restored to its inoperative position.

As is particularly disclosed in Figure 4, the device is installed in operative association with a steering mechanism in which the rotation of a steering rod 46 is in accordance with the rotation of the steering wheel mounted thereon, whereby the rotative motion of the rod is reduced through gearing 47 to operate a shaft 48 extending from the gearing and through a frame member 49 which supports the gearing. The shaft 48, it will be noted, is arranged to be oscillat-ed in accordance with the rotation of the rod 46 through a relatively small angle, and carries an arm 51 which is arranged for operative connection to an adjacent vehicle wheel (not shown) by means of a link 52. As here shown, the oscillating movements of arm 51 are utilized to operate the switch mechanism of my invention, and, accordingly, the base 6 thereof is here shown fixed to the member 49 adjacent and substantially in the plane of movement of arm 51. The switch member 33 thereof, which corresponds to the member 33 of the previously described embodiment, is pivotally secured to the base 6 and is provided with a depending arm 53. Connection between the arms 53 and 51 is effected by means of a link 54, it being noted that adjustment of the amount of movement of member 33 is controlled through shifting the point of attachment of link 54 to arm 51 along the arm and may also be effected b making the link 54 of adjustable length. Operation of the manually positionable switch member 23 is arranged to be effected by means of a rod 56 pivotally secured to an extension 57 of member 23', it being noted that adjustment of the positioning of member 23 is effected upon a longitudinal displacement of the rod 56.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle signal switch, a pair of fixed contact plates, another contact plate in spaced overlying relation to both said first named plates, a contact member movable into position between and in engagement with either of the first named plates and the second named plate and another member movable into position to first contact with the plates engaged by the first member then displacing said member from its contacting position.

2. In a vehicle signal switch, a pair of fixed control plates, another contact plate fixed in spaced overlying relation to both the first named plates, a rocking contact member arranged to be rocked to bring its ends into and out of engagement with said contact plates, and another contact member arranged to be moved in an arc into and out of contact with the said plates and in such manner as to displace the rocking contact from its contacting position with said plates.

3. In a vehicle signal switch arranged to operate in conjunction with a steering rod, a pair of fixed contact plates, another' contact plate fixed in spaced overlying relation to both of the plates of said pair, a rocking member movable into and out of position to cause its ends to be selectively engaged with and beneath said contact plates, and another contact member arranged to swing in an arc upon operation of the steering rod and to first engage the contact plates which are engaged by the first contact member then engage and displace said first contact member from its contacting position.

In testimon whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at gakland, California, this 27th day of April, 1927.

GEORGE A. HANNA. 

